Money Talks
by gentledove2
Summary: Ron tries to force Hermione to marry him but with the aid of Thorfinn Rowle, she escapes his unscrupulous schemes. Happy ending guaranteed for Hermione Granger and Thorfinn Rowle. (Please note that I am deliberately not using archive warnings as it would give away too much of the future plot. When we reach certain chapters, I will place warnings in the chapter summary.)
1. Chapter 1 - Prologue

"For the last time, Ronald Weasley, I do NOT love you and I definitely do not want to marry you...under ANY circumstances! No means NO! Get that through your thick, red-headed skull!" Hermione screeched at the unfortunate Ronald Bilious Weasley.

"You have to marry me. Mum says you have been leading me on and so you have to marry me!" Ron whinged.

"Let me repeat myself, Ronald Bilius Weasley. I do not love you...I do not want to marry you...and I am not completely stupid! I know for a fact that you have been shagging Lavender Brown for the last two years! ALL of Gryffindor knows that and probably half of Hufflepuff and a quarter of Ravenclaw! Maybe even someone in Slytherin! Lavender has a very big mouth and she has described your "wand" and what you do to her with it! So since you were getting your "needs met" elsewhere, it is quite obvious that I have not led you on one little bit. I owe you nothing! Now go marry that prize slag, Lavender, as I will NEVER EVER want you! End of story!" Hermione snarled!

"Mother said..."

Hermione abruptly interrupted Ron. "You want to marry me ONLY because your mother wants it. It's only because your mother doesn't approve of Lavender that she wants you to marry me instead. Well that isn't happening! Molly can either suck it up when you marry Lavender Brown OR she can find you another witch to marry. And if you ask me to marry you one more time, I am going to permanently remove every single hair on your body...with a pair of pliers! Understand? Nod if you understand!"

Ron slowly nodded his head, turned away, and downcast he walked to the apparition point. He wasn't looking forward to telling his mother that Hermione will NEVER marry him...and she was adamant over the matter. He wasn't looking forward to that discussion one little bit!


	2. Chapter 2 - Game

_Later that same day, Hermione met Harry for drinks in their favorite Muggle bar!_

"So, Harry, that is what Ron wanted to meet me about. For the umpteenth time, he asked me to marry him. Does he think I am imbecile? He has been shagging Lavender for years...he should make an honest witch of HER! Especially since there isn't enough money in the world to make me want to marry him!" Hermione said confidentially.

"And you would know! That's Molly's doing though. I am sure of it. She never did like Lavender...but it isn't like she was wholeheartedly in favor of you either being Ron's wife. You aren't the type to stay home and take care of "your family"...you are a career girl and for Molly, the only suitable daughter-in-law would be one who stayed in the home. If you were dumb enough to marry Ron, Molly would make your life a living hell!" Harry said thoughtfully. "Mind you, if they knew the truth about you, well they aren't likely to want to kill the golden goose, now would they?"

"Do you think they know?" Hermione ventured tentatively.

"Well I didn't tell them. I promised you that I wouldn't. And to be honest, I have been too busy fending off Ginevra. She is determined to marry me and won't leave me alone. I am at my wit's end...her latest ploy is telling me that she is pregnant by me and she intends to tell her parents that I took her virginity under the promise of marriage. I am so screwed!" Harry slumped forward, leaning his forehead on his chest.

"Hmmmmm," pondered Hermione. "What if you call her bluff. You and I both know that you two never had sex, right?"

"Gross! All she talks about is Quidditch. I might as well be marrying Victor Krum and THAT is NEVER happening!" Harry's face flushed at the thought of marrying Krum.

"Is there someone that you like or would want to court and/or marry?" Hermione asked.

"I kinda like...Luna Lovegood!" he replied.

"Luna?" she queried.

"Yeah, she isn't as ditzy as she seems. Did you know that she was badly bullied in her own House? Her fellow Ravenclaws thought it was perfectly acceptable to steal and hide her possessions and she never did find everything...and yet, she stayed so calm and never reported that she was being bullied! Honestly, Hermione, Luna has a very loving and caring nature and I would like to court her...but how can I do that with Ginevra hanging over me like the Sword of Damocles?"

"Well...I have an idea...a rather naughty one. What if we did..." Hermione whispered her plan to Harry.

Harry thought for a few minutes and then said, "Hermione, you are a genius! I never did think of publicly...or in this case, semi-publicly...calling her bluff such that ever-after she can never try to trap me into marriage ever again. Do you think it will work?"

"I don't see why not," Hermione said. "But first you need to find out if Luna is interested in you and if she would accept you courting her. If she is, then this is what I think we should do."

Harry thought it over and said, "Brilliant! I will see if I can get hold of Luna and if she is willing to be mine, we can put your plan into action! I can hardly wait to see Molly's face when she realizes that her plan for marrying me and my money off to Ginevra has failed so publicly and spectacularly!" And then he rubbed his hands together and his grin was downright diabolical!


	3. Chapter 3 - Set

Early the next morning, Harry headed over to Gringotts to retrieve his family's rings. His conversation with Luna had been so profitable that he had decided he wanted to marry her and just skip the courting process entirely. And once Ginevra and Molly were thwarted, he was going to marry Luna on the spot...and THAT would solve the Ginevra problem for good!

Once he retrieved his family rings from his vault, he asked to speak to Ragnok. He quickly explained what Molly and Ginevra were trying to do to him, complete with her saying he took her virginity under the promise of marriage and that she was pregnant with his heir. He explained that he had never touched her and that he was sure that not only was she not pregnant, but that she was still a virgin.

Ragnok was shocked that Molly thought she could force a marriage between her daughter and the Boy Who Lived when it was quite obvious that he wanted nothing at all to do with Ginevra. Harry then told Ragnok what they had planned...Hermione was going to meet him at Gringotts at lunch time, bring Luna and their friends to ostensibly witness Harry's engagement!

Ragnok sat back for a minute or two and thought over what Harry Potter had told him. He didn't think it would be enough to foil a money-grubbing Mother Weasley and her spawn. And then a wicked idea occurred to him and he said with an evil grin, "I like your idea but I don't think it goes quite far enough. You need to make sure that Ginevra won't get the sympathy vote when you marry Miss Lovegood...and to do it so everyone will know what she tried to do with you!"

"What exactly do you have in mind, Ragnok?" Harry asked anxiously.

Ragnok replied, "I think that will be a little surprise for you. You arrange for the Weasleys to accompany you here at twelve noon, where you will meet with your friends. I will arrange for a large meeting room where the gold-digger will get what is coming to her. Trust me, you will absolutely love what I have in mind...it's just best if you can claim complete ignorance in the matter if there are any questions later!"

"Ok, Ragnok, I trust you. You haven't led me astray yet. I will be back here at twelve noon. A pleasure as always!" Harry replied before shaking the goblin's hand and headed out to Diagon Alley. He had one stop to make before he visited the Weasleys...a new suit...he just hoped that Twilfitt and Tattings would be up for the challenge as he wanted to look his best when he married Luna in front of all their friends! He just wished that Luna's father had been able to be with them on their special day but unfortunately, he had died during the Battle for Hogwarts!

* * *

Fortunately for Harry's plans, Twilfitt and Tattings were more than willing to drop everything to provide him with the wedding garments suitable for the SAVIOR of the wizarding world. Standing outside the Burrow, Harry looked dead chuffed! He could hardly wait for Luna to see him all done up. But first, the Weasleys!

Harry knocked on the door and Molly answered it. "Why Harry, you are looking especially handsome today. Is there a particular reason you are all done up to the nines?" she asked hopefully!

"May I come in, Mrs. Weasley? I'd like to speak to you and to Ginevra if she is present," he replied.

Molly invited him in and hollered over her shoulder for Ginny to come downstairs as Harry was here to see her. Harry winced at her tone and was grateful that he wouldn't have to deal with the shrew after today! Unless, of course, Ron did manage to snag Hermione, although that was highly doubtful!

"Hi, Harry, Mum said you wanted to see me? Oh my, do you look fine! What's the special occasion? Did you get dressed up to see me?" Ginny asked tentatively.

"Well, Ginevra," Harry started. "I have been thinking about what we were talking about and I have decided that I want to make my engagement notice today, so of course, you and your family will accompany me to Gringotts where my family rings are ready. While Mrs. Weasley..."

Molly eagerly interrupted Harry, "Molly, please, Harry as we are about to be related..."

Harry continued as if he hadn't been interrupted, "While Molly is rounding up the rest of your family, please put on your prettiest outfit. We have an appointment to meet Ragnok at twelve noon!"

Ginny flushed pink, bobbed her head, and ran upstairs to get all dressed up. She was tickled pink that Harry finally got on board with marrying her. As she passed Ron's bedroom door, she banged on it and yelled at him to get dressed as they were all going to Gringotts for Harry to become engaged to her.

And then she burst through her bedroom door and started to hunt for the perfect outfit...one to outshine everyone who was present...especially Hermione who she was beginning to hate because of her close relationship to Harry and because Harry gave her all his attention...time that Ginevra thought should belong to her alone. And unbeknownst to Harry, Ginny was determined to separate the two ONCE she was Mrs. Harry Potter!

Molly quickly floo-called the rest of her family and they all rushed home to put on their glad rags. Finally they were all ready and with Ginny's arm resting on Harry's, they mass flooed to the Leaky Cauldron and then walked the short distance to Gringotts Bank.


	4. Chapter 4 - And Match!

As the Weasleys walked into Gringotts, they noticed Hermione and a bunch of their friends waiting just past the guards. Ginny said to Harry, "How come they are here?"

Harry patted her arm and said, "I wanted to share my engagement with all my friends...to show how proud I am of my future bride!"

Ginny smiled bashfully...if only Harry knew of her plans for his money once she became his wife.

"Oh!" Ron said, "That's Rita Skeeter. We don't want her here, do we?"

Ragnok stepped forward and said, "Mr. Harry Potter becoming engaged is a story that all of the wizarding world will want to read about. So I arranged for Miss Skeeter to cover the story for both "The Daily Prophet" and "Witch Weekly". I hope you don't mind, Mr. Potter, Miss Weasley."

"Of course not, Ragnok. That was very thoughtful of you. I should have thought of that myself. Of course we will want front page coverage of the engagement, as well as lots of photographs. Right, Ginevra?" Harry asked.

"Of course, Harry, if you think it best!" Ginny replied tentatively.

"I do!"

Ragnok stepped forward and said, "If you please, there is a room prepared just through this door. If you will follow me, please," and he lead the way through to the meeting room. Once everyone was in the room, he closed the doors, sealing them so no one could enter or overhear was happened.

"If you would care to get started, Mr. Potter," he said.

"Certainly, and thank you, Ragnok. My friends, we are gathered to share in my engagement announcement but first, there are a few things to be taken care of. Ginevra, if you please."

Ginny smiled up at him, think he was about to put his ring on her finger.

"Miss Ginevra has informed her parents that not only did I seduce her under the promise of marriage and that I have made her pregnant. We need to take care of this before we move forward to the engagement."

Molly thought fast and said, "Harry dear, that isn't important now that you are getting engaged to dear Ginny!"

"No, Molly, this is important to me. Ragnok, if you please!"

Ragnok held forth a parchment paper and a silver knife, asking Ginevra and Harry to hold their hands out so he could prick their fingers and then let the blood drop on to the parchment paper. After a few minutes, the blood formed letters and he began to read what they said.

"Regarding Miss Weasley, she is not pregnant by Mr. Harry Potter or any other wizard. In fact, according to this, she is still a virgin. As no sexual activity has taken place, she was not seduced. And therefore, Miss Weasley does not have the right to force Mr. Potter into marriage as a remedy for her lost virginity.

Ginny flushed an unbecoming shade of red...right up to the roots of her hair...as did her father who gave her a withering glare. His precious daughter had lied in an effort to force the one and only Harry Potter to marry her...and this came out in front of all their friends, as well as in front of Rita Skeeter. But why all this fuss if he was going to marry her...or was he?

"Harry, none of that matters anyway as you are going to put your ring on my finger, aren't you?" She asked coyly.

"Actually, you will find that I didn't exactly state that. Before I name my beloved, I wanted to make sure that there was no risk of scandal attached to my name regarding improper conduct toward yourself. Now that this is done, Luna, would you come here, please."

Luna walked over to Harry and put her hand in his. Ragnok handed him the rings and Harry said, "In the presence of my friends as well as one who is as dear to me as a sister, I offer my name and my heart to Luna Lovegood, for time and all eternity." And he placed his ring on her finger.

Luna replied, "I Luna Lovegood, love you, Harry, and I accept the gift of your name and of your love, for time and all eternity." And she placed the other ring on his finger.

Ragnok announced, "Witches and wizards, my I present to you Mr. Harry and Mrs. Luna Potter!"

All of a sudden the room was full of the sounds of congratulations directed at the happy couple, as well as the popping of champagne bottles and flashing camera bulbs!

The Weasleys though were silent. This was going to be a terrible scandal. Molly and Ginevra had over-reached in trying to make Harry marry Ginny...and now the whole wizarding world would know what she had done as a) all their friends were present, and b) Rita Skeeter had written down every single word that had been said.

The ONLY good thing about the whole debacle was that their daughter was still a virgin...although after the events that had just taken place, she was now likely to stay that way for the rest of her life. After all, who would want her now? She would be lucky to marry a squib!

A much-embarrassed Arthur started to marshall his family out of the room when a smiling Rita approached them, asking if Miss Weasley had anything she would like to contribute to the story. Arthur simply said, "No comment, Miss Skeeter. Obviously my daughter made a grievous error in judgement but we will be discussing that much later at home and in private. And if you will excuse us..."

One of the photographers stepped forward and managed to get a perfect picture of a shamefaced Ginevra Weasley as well as her enraged mother. Not that they knew it at the time, that was to be the front page picture on the next day's edition of "The Prophet". They would be ruined socially!

Before any more pictures could be taken, Arthur rushed his family out the door, through the Bank, and out into Diagon Alley, where he apparitioned his family back home. Ginevra was angry, embarrassed, and afraid of what her father might do to her. Worse, she was never going to live this down. And she knew whom to blame...it was all the fault of that Hermione Granger! And she would get her revenge! But for now, it was time to take responsibility for her actions...and it wasn't going to be pretty! 


	5. Chapter 5 - Fallout - Part 1

Arthur read the riot act to Ginny. He was outraged that she would try to trap an honorable wizard into marriage. From this point onward, she would be considered a gold-digging tramp, which she was, and no decent family would even remotely consider her as an acceptable bride.

After ranting and raving for almost an hour, he sent his weeping daughter upstairs to pack her belongings. Then he floo-called Charlie...shared with him the whole sordid story...and made arrangements to send Ginny to live with her brother for the foreseeable future...or until the scandal died down...assuming it did so. With Rita Skeeter covering the shock wedding, the whole of Wizarding Britain would know exactly what Ginevra had done...they would be talking about this for months to come!

And then Arthur turned his attentions to his wife. Normally a mild-mannered wizard, he was mortified, humiliated, and embarrassed by the actions of his wife and daughter. He might even lose his position at the Ministry because of their actions. What were they thinking? Obviously they weren't thinking clearly...they had let the galleons in Harry's many vaults cloud their vision and now there was the devil to pay!

"Molly, what were you thinking?" shouted Arthur. "Did you even give a remote thought what would happen if your little plan became public knowledge? You're a grown up...what kind of example are you to our daughter? Because of this...Ginevra's future prospects are dismal to none. Even if we send her away, which I am doing today, our own reputation will be mud. And what about our sons? Thank Merlin Bill is already married to Fleur...but what family will entrust their daughters to us when you and Ginevra have displayed such a lack of character?"

Arthur stopped his rant long enough to catch his breath before continuing, "What if I lose my job over this? You don't work...but had you given a thought to what happens to us if I get the sack? And even if I keep my job, everyone is going to know what you and Ginevra have done. People are going to turn their back to us! We won't be invited to events and if we already were invited, excuses will be made and we will be dis-invited. We will be social pariahs!"

"Obviously I have been too lenient on you and Ginevera but you both have shown that such leniency was a mistake in my own judgment. And that is a mistake I have no intention of repeating. From now on, you won't leave the Burrow without me at your side. You will not be permitted to be alone with Fleur or their children. Either Bill or I will be with you to supervise what example you are setting."

Hearing this, Molly began to cry...but Arthur was firm. "I will make all decisions regarding our children and "I" will supervise their behavior and discipline them myself. I don't know how long it will take for our family to regain its reputation but I am determined that as of today, we are going to to do whatever it takes to undo the damage you and Ginevra have done to the Weasley name! And to my shame, I allowed by not properly supervising the pair of you. That stops today!"

"Do you have ANYTHING to say for yourself, Molly? Why did you do this? Why didn't you tell me what Ginevra was up to?" Arthur asked sadly.

Through her tears, Molly sniffed, "I am tired of being poor...there never seems to be enough money to go around and Harry had so much money...he would never have missed some. And if he had married Ginny, he would have been generous to her as well as us. We needed that money and it is all lost now. Harry isn't likely ever speak to us again after this?"

"And who could blame him, Molly? Ginevra tried to trap him into marriage? She was prepared to lie and deceive in order to get what she wants...but she never stopped to count the cost if she was discovered. And now we all pay for her actions...ALL of us." he said sadly.

"Mom, you did all this over money?" Bill asked.

"It's easy to judge when you have money, Bill Weasley, but when you don't have it, well it hurts. I am tired of wearing second-hand clothes. I wanted a taste of the good life for me and my family and now everything is in ruins!" she choked out.

"Well," Bill said, "If money was the criteria, then you should have been nicer to Hermione...Ron too!" 


End file.
